photos of past MSTAR students, a diverse group of people

Medical Student Training in Aging Research (MSTAR)

The University of Texas Medical Student Training in Aging Research (UT-MSTAR) is a new collaboration between UT Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSA), UT Health Houston (UTH), UT Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB Health), and UT Southwestern (UTSW).

The 8-week summer intensive program is intended for medical students moving between year 1 and year 2 of training. Students enrolled in the MSTAR program benefit from an enriching experience in aging-related research and clinical geriatrics with the mentorship of top experts in the field. The long-term goal of the program is to increase the number of established clinicians and physician investigators who pursue research in high-priority areas related to aging.

Contact Us

Alexis King, MS
Program Manager
Phone: (409) 772-9683
E-mail: alnking@utmb.edu

Sealy Center on Aging (SCOA)
301 University Blvd.
Galveston, TX 77555-0177

Applications

Applications will close February 21, 2025 @ 5pm CST.

Apply Now

Download 2025 MSTAR Flyer

Program Information

Requirements

Candidates: 1st-year medical students interested in aging research

Duration: Intensive 8 weeks over Summer break

Stipends: $4,704 total for 8 weeks

UTMB Health Site Lead: Erin Hommel, MD, MS

Trainees Gain:

  • An individualized research experience under a sponsoring mentor
  • A structured didactic experience covering research design, ethics, and scholarship
  • Opportunities to interact with faculty and peers covering a wide ranging of aging disciplines from basic science to clinical implementation
  • Clinical observerships within clinical geriatrics
  • Scholarly opportunities to prepare abstract(s), create poster(s), and write manuscripts
  • A chance to obtain research credits for their participation

Expectations:

Students are expected to identify a research mentor with a focus on aging at their home institution, or at a collaborating UT-MSTAR institution. Together with their mentor, they will establish project goals and expected outcomes during the experience. Trainees are expected to spend the majority of their time at the institution of their training research mentor. (Room and board and other travel expenses during the 8-week experience are the responsibility of the student.)  

Weekly required activities include completing the mentored research project and attending weekly didactic sessions, where research basics and careers in aging will be discussed. Students will also be paired with a geriatrician to observe the clinical applications of their aging research. Students are invited to attend aging-related seminars at their training institution or virtually through collaborating institutions. At the end of the training, all students will participate in the UTMB student research poster session and, separately, will attend a UT-MSTAR symposium to network and present their research with other members of the UT-MSTAR consortium.  

Potential MSTAR Faculty Mentors at UTMB Health

Mentor NameArea of Interest
Soham Al Snih, MD, PhDAging in Hispanics, frailty, health outcomes, health disparities, and obesity
Abbey Berenson, MD, PhDHealth of women throughout the life-span
Phillip Cantu, PhDCaregiving in Hispanics with dementia
Brian Downer, PhDDementia, cognitive aging, post-acute care
Steven Fisher, PT, PhD, GCSPhysical functioning in older adults
James S. Goodwin, MDComparative effectiveness, functional recovery
Erin Hommel, MD, MSGeriatric syndromes, health care quality
Yong-Fang Kuo, PhDPharmacoepidemiology, treatment outcomes
Alan Landay, PhDGeroscience and HIV
Elizabeth Lorenzo, RN, PhDHealth promotion among ethnic minority women
Kyriakos Markides, PhDHispanic health, aging, and physical function
Meredith Masel, PhDHealth communication in multi-morbidity
Neil Mehta, PhDEpidemiology of chronic diseases and survival
Sadaf Milani, PhDEpidemiology of cognition, pain, and gender
Melissa Morrow, PhDMobility and physical function in aging
Monique Pappadis, PhD, MEdDisparities in rehabilitation post-brain injury
Mukaila Raji, MD, MSDementia care, health policy, geriatric pharmacology, and therapeutics
Giulio Taglialatela, PhDMolecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration
Elizabeth Vaughan, DO, RNDisparities in primary and preventive care

MSTAR News

photo of group of diverse professionals of different ages and ethnicities

Thanks to Participants for a Successful MSTAR Program

Jan 17, 2025, 11:14 AM by SCOA

A heartfelt thank you to all who participated in the 2024 Medical Students Training in Aging Research (MSTAR) program. Last summer, the scholars presented their research and received invaluable feedback from faculty and fellow scholars, which will help them improve their work and prepare their posters for publication in peer-reviewed journals. This event would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of Amber McIlwain, Seal Center on Aging Editor, who mentored the students in writing abstracts, creating posters, and transforming them into full manuscripts. Special thanks to Iterim Director of SCOA Dr. Landay and Kelley for logistical assistance. We also appreciate the UTMB Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Women's Health, led by Dr. Berenson, for providing stipends to the MSTAR students. Congratulations to all the MSTAR scholars for their excellent work. We eagerly look forward to seeing your research published in peer-reviewed journals!

Meet the MSTAR Scholars and Learn About Their Projects:

  • Amber Nguyen - Trends in receipt of Gabapentinoid and SSRI/SNRI therapy among older breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancer survivors in the United States. Mentors: Dr. Raji & Dr. Kuo
  • Bethany Leach - Sex and Ethnic/Racial Disparities in End-of-Life Care for Texan Colorectal Cancer Decedents. Mentors: Drs. Raji, Kuo & Serna
  • Kafayat Oyejide - Low-frequency ultrasound therapy alleviates neuropathology and neuroinflammation in a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease neuropathology. Mentor: Dr. Fracassi
  • Arati Bendapudi - Acquired Hypothyroidism and Cognitive Decline among Mexican American Older Adults. Mentor: Dr. Al Snih
  • Pratik Gongloor - Anabolic Interventions to Improve Recovery from Hospitalization in Geriatric Patients: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial. Mentor: Dr. Hommel


Last updated: February 2025 RMG